How Can I Deny Him?
by Mistress Reigns
Summary: Roman brings home the box and Hunter knows it's going to be trouble even before the soft, squeaky meows begin sounding from the inside. He just knew sending Roman out was a bad idea. And now here they are. He has to hold back a sigh at the sight of the two kittens exploring the practice ring, no doubt confused by the myriad of human scents on the mat and the ropes.
1. How Can I Deny Him?

Roman brings home the box and Hunter knows it's going to be trouble even before the soft, squeaky meows begin sounding from the inside. He just _knew_ sending Roman out was a bad idea.

And now here they are. He has to hold back a sigh at the sight of the two kittens exploring the practice ring, no doubt confused by the myriad of human scents on the mat and the ropes. The little black-and-blond one in particular likes the ropes; he somehow manages to jump the foot to the bottom rope, little baby claws sinking into the hemp with enough strength to keep him suspended. Clever trick. The disheveled brown one is more insistent on attacking anyone who so much as sets foot near him, hissing and swiping his claws at them. Only when Roman steps into the ring does he calm down and trot over, weaving between Roman's legs and mewling.

"I told you it's not Bring Your Pet to Work Day," Hunter calls from ringside.

"We can't just leave them at home while we're on the road. They'd get lonely." Roman crouches down and picks up the brown fur ball, scratching it in such a way that it goes limp and starts to purr. "You like it here, don't you, Dean? You get to attack as many people as you want."

Hunter furrows his eyebrows. "Don't name them. You can't keep them, Roe. I'm serious."

"Ignore Daddy. He's thickheaded," Roman says conversationally to the kitten… Dean.

The bi-colored kitten is Seth; Hunter watches him from the corner of his eye, pulling himself up until he's balanced precariously on the bottom rope. Clearly proud of himself, he squeaks in triumph and begins to walk along it with quick, confident steps.

"Well," a familiar voice says beside him as Randy comes to brace his elbows on the ring apron, "we do have a bull wrestling. Kitten wrestling would go over really well with the kids."

He scoffs and watches as Seth reaches the turnbuckle, stretching up on his hind legs to reach for the second rope. "No. It wouldn't even be a contest. That one would just climb and the other one's too twitch and impatient for it. They'd barely have any contact, Orton."

Roman lifts his head from where Dean is currently batting at the ends of his long curls, cocking an eyebrow at Hunter as if to say _Did you really just consider how a match would really work out between them?_ He's the COO; it's his job to think about things like that even in hypothetical situations and besides, the cats are in the ring. Well, technically; Seth is still walking along the second rope, clearly pleased with himself for the accomplishment. When he jumps across the turnbuckle to the adjacent side, though, Hunter's heart stops because if something happens to either of these little poof balls, Roman is going to be heartbroken.

"Hi, little guy," Randy says, offering his hand when Seth jumps onto the apron and pads over.

"_Little_ is right," Hunter agrees, watching Seth sniff Randy's fingers. "He's, like, half a kitten."

Seth mewls and noses at Randy's hand for pets, entirely too comfortable with him this quickly.

Randy just sends Hunter a look as he scratches under Seth's chin. "He's cute, though."

Hunter sighs; another person overcome by the cuteness factor, then. He pulls himself up onto the apron and steps through the ropes, intent on making Roman forget about the kittens for a little while so they can get in some necessary training. Everyone in the corporate side of the business is intent that Roman's Samoan heritage, impressive size, and formidable ring skills will make him the next face of the company once Cena gets around to retiring. Hunter agrees; Roman is one of the best right now, still green and in need of more skills, so once he has all of the necessary pieces, he is going to be unbeatable. And as his boss, his coach, and his boyfriend, Hunter plans on providing as much help as he can for the younger man.

"Put the fur ball down so we can get some practice in before we have to worry about going over the script," Hunter says, gesturing to where Dean is sprawled in Roman's lap.

"Fine. Randy, can you hold onto Dean for me while Hunter and I work?" Roman casts a glance over at Randy, and Hunter barely resists the impulse to groan at the sight of Seth perched on Randy's shoulder. "He's got claws and he isn't afraid to use them, so watch out."

Randy smirks and leans over the apron, holding out his hands for Roman to transfer Dean to him. "He's just a kitten. I think I can handle him. You guys should think about getting a carrier for them or something. Don't want some crazy fan trying to kidnap the kittens."

"Be even better for when we're in here and the focus needs to not be on them," Hunter mutters, ignoring the sharp look Roman shoots him before handing Dean over to Randy.

"We're not getting a cat prison for them, Hunter," Roman says finally before standing, pushing all that hair back behind his shoulders. "I made that perfectly clear. Randy can hold them."

_Randy can try_, Hunter thinks but doesn't say; Dean starts hissing and clawing the moment Roman is no longer touching him and Randy ends up awkwardly holding him with his paws facing outward to keep his claws away. If that hurts the cat, Hunter is going to get yelled at even though he wasn't the one who suggested Randy should hold Dean in the first place.

Roman sighs and turns to face him. "All right. What do you want to work on first?"

"Your power bomb," Hunter says simply, shrugging out of his shirt. Damn thing ends up soaked in sweat once they're done anyway. "Reverse my Pedigree and power bomb me."

In retrospect, trusting Randy with anything is useless and Hunter should have known better than to do it in the first place. But he's an idiot and he honestly thought two small kittens wouldn't be too much work. He's wrong. The moment gets Roman in position for the Pedigree, a small, raging ball of fur attacks his right foot and sends him reeling back. _Dean._ The kitten yowls and releases him, spitting with his tiny ears turned back on his head. Hunter braces against the ropes, resisting the urge to shake Dean off because Roman would kill him if he accidentally kicked the kitten across the room in the process. Only when Dean dislodges does Hunter relax. And it's about then that he realizes that Randy couldn't handle _either_ kitten and Seth is on the ropes again.

"Are you all right?" Roman asks, leaning down to scoop Dean up and smooth a hand down his back. Instantly, Dean relaxes and mewls, leaning up into the touch in that body-roll way of his.

Hunter shakes his foot out, wincing slightly at the slight pain. "Fine. Just flesh wounds. I swear to God, Roe, I thought you said kittens. That one is a goddamn lunatic."

"But he's _my_ lunatic. Aren't you, sweetheart?" Roman actually _coos_ down at the little assassin, who promptly flops over onto his back in Roman's arms and bats at his hair again. Oh, _sure._ Now he's all calm and shit. "And look at Seth. He can get on the top rope. You can't do that."

Which is true. He can't. But he's pretty sure a kitten shouldn't be doing it and he's proven right all of a minute later when Seth tries to jump past the turnbuckle and misses. Most cats would land on their feet, but for some reason, he doesn't and the loud mewl he releases is terrifying.

Roman's hands are full—that's the only reason Hunter moves faster. _Because Roman can't,_ he tells himself, _not because I'm actually worried about the little fur ball._ He scoops Seth up off of the mat and notices immediately the way that Seth is whining and licking at his forepaw, his impossibly tiny body shivering. As soon as Roman sees, his face gets serious and he sends Hunter a look that leaves no room for argument. Well, Roman can do his power bomb just fine.

"All right." Hunter retrieves his shirt, tossing it over his shoulder in lieu of actually putting the damn thing on. "Find directions for the nearest vet and we'll go straight there."

Literally no one takes him seriously when he returns from the impromptu veterinary visit with a tiny kitten perched on his shoulder, favoring a forepaw with a bit of tape wrapped around it. Not that most people took him seriously in the first place—he did almost get Vince McMahon to say he loved cock at one point, after all—but this is just the last nail in the coffin. Dean is sitting in the crook of Roman's arm, alternately washing his face and hissing at literally everyone they pass. Everyone except Heath Slater because apparently no one can hate him; he actually gets to pet Dean and gets a satisfied mewl out of him. It's not even fair. _Nothing_ about this is.

He ditches the kittens with Kane after the big man takes one look at Seth on his shoulder, nosing at his ear, and bursts into laughter. Apparently he's forgotten Hunter is the fucking _boss_ and so he gets to baby-sit while Hunter and Roman prepare for their match. It's a perfect match; Roman destroys him and as soon as they're backstage, Hunter pushes him up against the wall and mumbles against his lips in-between kisses just how fantastic the match was. Of course he gets pushed away after a bit because Roman wants to go get the kittens. Of. Fucking. Course.

"Are you guys keeping them?" Kane asks as he hands over Seth and dislodges Dean from where the lunatic kitten is claws-deep in his boots. He dislodges when he realizes Roman is there.

Hunter would say no, but he'd have to say no to Roman, and so… "Yeah. We are."


	2. Just A Little Change

_**Just A Little Change**_

Hunter and Roman have a very concrete and well-determined method of sleeping. They have opposite sides of the bed for the nights when both of them are too exhausted to cuddle, and then they usually end up in a tangle of limbs in the middle of the bed, Roman's head tucked under his chin. Now, with Seth and Dean refusing to sleep anywhere but the bed, things have changed.

The little suck-ups must think Roman is their mother because they refuse to sleep anywhere but on Roman's pillow, making a nest in his hair to curl up together in. It's annoying as hell because they squeak and purr in their sleep, and it keeps Hunter up far later than he likes. And even though he bought them a very comfortable—and expensive—cat bed, they refuse to use it for anything but an occasional nap. But even then, they'd really rather prefer Roman's lap to that.

And then the little lunatic assassin has to make everything worse by having _nightmares._

It first happens a week after they get home and settle in for the evening, Seth and Dean nesting in Roman's hair as usual. Hunter is half asleep when, suddenly, there's a very sharp and keening cry from right next to his face that makes his pulse race and his eyes snap open in shock.

Fumbling for the lamp on his side of the bed, he manages to get it on in time to see Roman sitting up and picking up Dean. The little brown puff ball is crying and shaking, and it takes Hunter an honest moment to realize he's still asleep. Then his heart hurts and he hates it for that.

Roman the Kitten Whisperer gently nudges Dean awake, but the poor thing doesn't stop crying even when he realizes he's safely in Roman's hands. Instead, he just keeps on until Roman lifts him to his chest, resting Dean's tiny head against his chest where his heart beats, singing softly.

Seth is starting to whine and since he's friendly to everyone, Hunter picks him up and starts petting him in slow, soothing strokes to help keep some order in the bedroom. Though his eyes remain fixed on Dean and he's sure he's never going to live down the same of being all heartbroken over the idea of the poor little guy having a nightmare. He looks a mess more than usual and keeps whimpering until he seems to finally understand he is warm, safe, and sound. Then he noses against Roman's chest for a little bit until his eyes fall closed once again.

"Poor baby boy. What did they do to you?" Roman whispers, and Hunter just swallows hard.

Tiny claws catch at his hand, so Hunter holds Seth out so he can nose against Dean a little, no doubt making sure his partner in crime is okay before he relaxes once again. After a few minutes, Hunter turns the lamp back off and watches Roman lie down slowly, Dean curled on his chest. Seth breaks free from Hunter's hold and scampers over, curling up close against Dean.

The nightmares are frequent after that, at least once a night, and Hunter ends up so damn distraught himself that he forgets the cats keep him up all the time to the point of using sleep deprivation like a weapon. Just seeing Dean so scared and afraid is enough to tell him something is very wrong, and it makes him wonder. Roman found the two kittens in a box on the street, not in a pound or anything. What had happened to them prior to being left behind like that?

He decides just as quickly to stop thinking about it because the idea of their two kittens being abused is more than he can handle at this point in his life. It's stupid how quickly he has grown attached to them, but the simple fact of the matter is that he has. Even if Dean still regularly tries to shred him and even if Seth is still too damn acrobatic for his own good, Hunter is starting to love both of them and he just wants both of them warm, safe, and happy.

"I don't know what to do for him," Roman says one night, Dean's little nose buried against the hollow of his throat as he soothes him after yet another nightmare. "I'm so scared for him. What if he hurts himself or something? This stress can't be good for him, can it?"

Hunter doesn't know what to say, so he just hands Seth over and then wraps his arms around Roman, pulling his boyfriend into his lap and cuddling him like he cuddles Dean and Seth. Even if he did know how to stop animals from having nightmares, he doubts he's the least bit qualified to put any plan into action. He makes a mental note to do some research on the matter and see if there is anything they can do for their little hitman kitten. If not, Roman's heart is going to be permanently fractured over the fact Dean has nightmares nearly every night.

Things change one night. They've gotten used to Dean waking up with nightmares but while Roman can still fall asleep before it happens, Hunter finds himself unable to fully fall asleep. It's like he's just waiting for the nightmare before he can get truly to sleep. But instead of his usual normal crying, Dean flops over out of Roman's hair and somehow ends up in Hunter's face.

The crying is still there, his little face so close to Hunter's that it's impossible _not_ to hear him, and Hunter stretches a hand up to soothe it down his side. Gentle movements that eventually calm him down and his eyes flicker open, reflecting in the darkness. Tiny paws end up right under his eye, as if Dean isn't quite sure where he is, but he usually doesn't wake up here.

"Hey, little guy. It's okay. You're safe," Hunter assures him, continuing the small pets.

Dean doesn't seem quite sure at first and mewls softly, the sound barely audible in the room as his impossible small nose brushes against Hunter's cheek. Double-checking, smart little cat that he happens to be, and then he relaxes and nuzzles against Hunter. Since when is he cuddly with Hunter? Hell, any other time those little claws would be bared like daggers and put to use.

Hunter smiles despite himself and curls his fingers around Dean's small body, gently lifting him without squeezing because that hurts. Yet another thing he's learned from Roman is how gently he has to lift them and never just by their stomachs because that hurts them a hell of a lot.

Of course, Dean squeaks in protest and tries to wriggle free, but Hunter just sets him back down in Roman's dark curls and rolls onto his back, confident he can go to sleep now. And at least he got to Dean first because now Roman can have a full night's sleep. He settles his hands behind his head, more or less patting himself on the back for his performance when he hears movement next to him, jumping when something suddenly jumps and lands next to his head.

"Are you insane? Roman will _kill_ me if you jump in the dark," Hunter hisses at the kitten.

Dean meows right in his ear before nosing at it, the sensation uncomfortable enough to make Hunter pull his head away a little. Which, apparently, was just what Dean was waiting for.

Hunter sighs and holds still. "You know, Roman's hair is your pillow. Not mine."

Not that it seems to matter because Dean uses his claws to pull at Hunter's hair until he has it arranged the way he wants, settling to sleep in the curve of Hunter's neck and shoulder. Anyone else might get annoyed, but it's hard to get annoyed when he can feel Dean's tiny heartbeat.

He wakes up to Seth half-perched on his face, licking his nose and meowing impatiently at him for breakfast. It's like they just _know_ he's their bitch and Roman is really the one in charge—but Hunter will not admit to it aloud. Instead, he just reaches up to pluck Seth off of his face so he can blink the sleep out of his eyes. That's when he remembers Dean sleeping in his hair.

Slowly and gently, he feels in that space until his fingers brush over soft, always messy fur and a tiny, slowly rising and falling body. He finds where Dean's ears are and starts petting between them until Dean wakes up with a tired squeak, nipping his fingers until he pulls them away. Then Dean crawls up out of his little nest and onto Hunter's chest, pouncing Seth over to give him a morning bath. Amused, Hunter watches their antics until both of them are suddenly in his face and whining at him for breakfast. No use in making them wait. He picks them both up, settling them in the crook of one arm, and heads downstairs to start breakfast for them all.

As soon as he sets them down, the both of them are threading around his feet and begging for food. He gives them the far too expensive organic cat food Roman absolutely insisted on buying and makes himself and Roman eggs and sausage with toast. He's forking it all onto two plates when Roman appears in the kitchen doorway, his hair brushed out around his shoulders and his gorgeous torso bare. Hunter isn't the only one happy to see him; Dean and Seth leave their half-empty food bowl behind to go say hi to Mommy, stretching up on their back paws until Roman kneels down to pet them. Then and only then do they return to eating their food.

"I don't remember Dean having a nightmare last night," Roman muses as he sits down and starts eating. Hunter steals a kiss while he gets them both a mug of coffee before sitting down himself.

He takes a sip before answering. "He did. But I took care of it. Didn't I, Dean?"

Dean looks up from where he has one paw in the food dish, licking juice from around his mouth, and Hunter's sure he's about to be attacked. But instead, Dean mewls and goes back to eating.

"That was a yes," Roman translates, and Hunter just scowls at him, which makes him laugh. "Hunt, I told you. All you have to do is listen to them and they talk to you. Simple as that."

Their day is spent lounging on the couch and watching a marathon of _My Strange Addiction,_ which is oddly fascinating even if it is exploitative and horrifying. Seth and Dean take up residence on Roman's lap, giving each other baths and pawing at each other off and on.

And at once point, Dean climbs on over into Hunter's lap to take himself a nap.

It's probably not the end of their disagreements, but Hunter's more than happy to enjoy it.

* * *

_**A/N: There was going to be ONE of these. ONE. But my friend Cathy (ladyschrei on here, go read her beautiful Breakfast Club fanfiction, The Brat Pack) just wanted more. And it turned into a thing and we have like seventy thousand more ideas for this, so you guys get more kittens. Yay.**_


	3. Stronger Than Any Fear Or Doubt

_**Stronger Than Any Fear Or Doubt**_

It doesn't surprise Hunter that Seth is fine with the doctor but Dean has a problem with it.

They have to take the kittens to get their first round of vaccinations, and Dean is already unhappy just being in the carrying crate. He cries until Roman gives and lets them out into his arms.

Which calms them down up until they have to go back inside the crate to head into the vet.

Other people shoot them bemused smiles whine Dean sits at the wire mesh door and whines for freedom, curling little paws through the grating as if he can free himself. Hunter doesn't much like him just for the fact he's mean, but he looks so distressed he finds himself feeling bad.

Roman catches him looking at Dean, who keeps pushing his nose through the little holes and mewling petulantly every time his escape attempt fails. When he reaches out to ghost a finger over the back of Dean's paw, Roman slaps his hand away and gives him a stern look.

"You're only going to encourage him if you do that," he says, resting a hand on top of the crate.

Hunter cocks an eyebrow at him and straightens up in his seat. "Like letting them out in the car?"

Roman shoots him a look, but the woman at the desk calls their name and cuts off any further discussion. Hunter picks up the crate and follows Roman through the door, knowing his boyfriend is beyond tense about this situation. With careful displays of love and warmth, they've managed to temper Dean's nightmares and he has very few of them anymore. A rough night might result in him needing a little extra cuddling and nuzzles from Seth, but otherwise he's doing well and he's toned it down the slightest bit on attacking Hunter for no reason whatsoever.

All Roman wants is for their kittens to be happy and safe. Hunter can empathize with that.

The vet has them open the carrier and let the kittens out onto the table. Dean all but bolts from the interior, a case of arrested development if there ever was one as he curls up in a ball and starts crying. Even though Roman is usually the one who reacts badly to these situations, Hunter is the one who gets to Dean and starts shushing him, smoothing his hand down Dean's puffed-up fur as he tries to calm him down. Dean whines up at him, as if trying to communicate just how upset he is about all of this, while Seth just trots out and starts sniffing the top of the table.

"Hunter," Roman says softly, and Hunter sighs and steps back so the vet has some room to work. Still, watching some stranger examine their kittens—especially when it makes Dean's cries get louder and shriller—is hard and even Roman starts to grimace. Smiling gently, Hunter takes his hand and squeezes it. Being parents to _anything_ isn't hard, and this is perfect proof.

"They both look well-fed and nourished," the vet muses, making a note on her chart before pointing to Dean with the end of her pencil. "This is normal. Some animals are afraid of vets."

It would be too much to tell her that they know Dean's behavior is normal because they know him far better than she does. Still, though, Hunter almost wants to make a remark but bites it back at the last second because they have to have this woman examine their kittens on a regular basis to make sure the two of them are healthy and get all of their vaccinations.

She sets the chart down and holds her hand out to Seth, who sniffs it but makes no move to actually touch her. "I think we'll start with this little guy since he's a lot calmer and relaxed."

_No._ Seth isn't calm and relaxed; he's just quieter for the moment, letting Dean cry instead of crying himself. But the way his muscles are tensed and the fact he doesn't try to get the vet to pet him tell Hunter he's far from calm and relaxed here. He does take his shot just fine, though, without any struggling or fighting or whining. No sooner is the apparatus moved from his fur, though, when he leaps from the table into Roman's arms and buries his face in Roman's chest.

Dean is having none of it, though. The moment the vet reaches for him, he mewls and darts away from her hand, hiding behind the carrier and hissing when she tries to reach for him again. Sensing the worst, Hunter moves in before he can bust out the claws and picks Dean up off of the table, letting those needle claws sink into his hand as they have so many times before. Dean growls up at him, ears flicking back, and the moment of distraction is just enough for the vet to get the shot in before Dean has a chance to flail and twist away again. He deflates instantly.

"All done," the vet says, looking over Dean quietly. "Is he always this aggressive to people?"

"No. He must be pretty scared," Hunter lies casually because Dean is _their_ lunatic assassin.

The vet nods and makes a note on her clipboard. "I'm sure he'll get used to it as he gets older."

Roman doesn't bother putting either kitten back in the carrier. He just shuts the door, carrying it in one hand while the other holds the dark curl of Seth's body, no doubt traumatized from the shot. Dean sure is; he keeps his claws in Hunter all the way to the car and only lets up once they reach it, having the kindness to lick over the rougher gouges with his little sandpaper tongue before settling in Hunter's lap. Most cats don't tend to like car rides but Hunter's pretty sure Dean and Seth can tolerate it as long as they can be coddled after their shots.

Seth recovers first and is back to his normal self, perching on Roman's shoulder on the drive home, occasionally meowing or licking Roman's cheek. If Hunter didn't know better, he'd say Seth has had a perfectly normal day because Seth spends every car ride on Roman's shoulder.

Dean isn't recovered even by the time they get home. Without a fight, Hunter hands Dean over to Roman and watches as his boyfriend settles down in the armchair, setting Dean on his lap, cupping a hand around him and soothing his fur with gentle fingers. Dean is quiet at first, not at all like his normal self, before he starts mewling and purring at the attention. In minutes, he's rolling over in Roman's lap and wrapping his paws around Roman's fingers, nuzzling them.

Since Dean needs a little extra love right now, Hunter takes Seth into the kitchen with him and lets their little acrobat sit on the counter while he starts on lunch. It's hard to cook with a kitten willing to try everything once attempting to nose into all of his food, but he does manage to keep Seth out of the majority of it. If the only way he pulls this off is by sneaking him little bits and pieces of turkey, then so be it. Seth is smaller than Dean anyway and likely needs the extra food if only to actually grow to a normal size. He doesn't have short munchkin legs, so he isn't supposed to be a tiny little kitten forever. Which is kinda too bad because he is a little cutie.

Once lunch is made, Hunter calls for Roman and isn't surprised when a fluffy brown ball is dropped down next to Seth on the counter. Dean shoos Seth away from the edge and knocks him onto his side, wrestling him down and licking at where the shot was administered.

"I think the shots really bothered him," Hunter says, lightly ruffling Dean's soft fur.

Roman shakes his head and sets the carton of orange juice on the counter, sending both kittens rolling away with low growls. "No. I think it was more being manhandled by a stranger."

"So you think they might have been abused, then? At least Dean?" Hunter hates this. He hates not knowing the pasts of their little furry companions because he wants them to have good lives and the past is important to helping them. "Who the fuck could hurt an animal this small?"

"Both of them. Seth wasn't any happier even if he _is_ better at hiding it. I don't know, Hunt. I honestly don't." Roman picks up both their fur balls and holds them close.

The difference in them is night and day: both of them immediately mewl and curl up against Roman's chest, scrubbing their little cheeks against the front of his shirt. Smiling slightly, Hunter lightly bats at Seth's blond paw and gets a mewl and a playful swipe in return for his effort. Well, whatever happened to them before now is over and he and Roman are going to make sure these two have long, happy lives like they deserve. Even if Dean does take off a finger in the process.

* * *

_**A/N: Watching an animal get a shot, even for its own good, breaks my heart. Seeing kittens cry breaks my heart. Everything that scares kittens breaks my heart. My heart is just fragile.**_


	4. Of Bath Time And Escapades

_**Of Bath Time And Escapades**_

Hunter just wants a moment alone with Roman not populated with the two small, furry creatures that now share his home. Much as he has come to love Seth and Dean—admittedly, it's been a long road but he does love them just the same—he wants Roman to himself for a change. And honestly, at the time, a bath seemed like the perfect way to get that moment alone.

Getting to strip Roman down to the skin while the tub filled up was glorious. The feel of warm, dark skin under his fingers while he ate at Roman's mouth, kissing him furiously in an effort to prove just how he adored him, was magic. And sinking into the hot water, Roman's back pressed against his chest, was perfect. It was _exactly_ what they needed for a moment just between them.

He obviously didn't think very hard about this, though, because the next thing he knows, there are two squeaks followed by loud, wet, plopping sounds. Roman laughs and Hunter sighs, dragging his eyes open and looking down to see two massive holes punched into the bubbles. In the center of one of them floats Seth, looking too damn cute for his own good considering he's now soaking wet. Seth mewls happily and sneezes, managing to blow bubbles. In the center of the other hole, Dean yowls and struggles in the water, clearly not accustomed to it.

"It's your own damn fault," Hunter mutters as Roman fishes Dean out of the water; it takes the poor kitten a minute to realize he's out of it because he doesn't calm down at first. Then he mewls pathetically and nuzzles Roman's fingers. "You know, you didn't have to just jump in like that. You could've just—Why do _I_ have to be the one to hold him?"

Roman just shoots him a look, making sure Dean is safely perched on Hunter's shoulder before going back to playing with Seth, who can apparently swim quite well. Against his neck, Dean quivers and mewls in his ear, little dagger claws digging into his skin for better purchase. Hunter sighs and reaches up to pet the fur ball, then yanks some of his hair over his shoulder so Dean can use it as a temporary blanket. Poor thing's bound to get cold by the time the water soaking into his fur starts to lose its warm temperature. Dean settles down, apparently docile.

"Are you having fun in the water, sweetheart?" Roman coos down at Seth, who squeaks up at him and splashes his blond paw in the water, evidently delighted with this.

Dean grumbles and shifts closer to Hunter's neck, and Hunter finds himself chuckling softly. It earns him a sharp nip on the ear, and he scowls as he contemplates just how well the kittens could possibly identify the noises he makes. Certainly, they're both intelligent even if they occasionally do something stupid. Like, he doesn't know, just jumping into a tub of water.

"Are cats normally good swimmers?" Hunter asks, watching Seth easily paddle around.

Roman shrugs. "I dunno. Seth just might be one of the few breeds who really enjoy water."

Hunter decides not to ask why cats would be bred to enjoy water and instead concentrates on where Dean is huddled up on his shoulder. Not giving the kitten proper attention is the most likely way to end up with scratches and bites, and he would very much like to _not_ get injured any more than Dean's claws are already injuring him. Little jerk. But he probably doesn't mean to do it; he's just a little freaked out from the water and nearly drowning to death.

And since _when_ does he make excuses for Roman's little fur balls of doom? He's getting as bad as Roman is and that is _not_ a comforting thought at all. It's actually vaguely terrifying.

"You're turning me into you," he mutters, giving Roman's hip a squeeze beneath the water.

Roman smirks at him over his shoulder. "And since when is that such a bad thing?"

Seth chooses this moment to jump up onto the edge of the tub, shaking water out of his fur and mewling happily. The fact Hunter knows the difference between a sad mewl and a happy mewl is besides the point; he's starting to think he's too far gone to ever go back. But at least Seth looks happy; a happy Seth makes for a happy Roman. And honestly, Hunter has a pretty huge soft spot for the little highflier if only because he's extraordinarily friendly to everyone.

"That's my big boy," Roman croons, smoothing his fingers through Seth's dripping fur. "I'm so proud of you, Sethy. You did such a good job in the water. Yes you did."

Seth basks in the attention, rubbing his cheek against Roman's fingers and purring before leaping back into the water. Their little daredevil is afraid of nothing, apparently, and Roman goes back to playing with him in the water. A little movement against his cheek makes Hunter turn his head to see Dean standing up, looking down at the water in interest. Then he bunches his muscles—which involves sinking his claws in even _deeper_—and jumps onto the edge of the tub. He slips, almost falls in, but Hunter nudges him up onto the side at the last minute.

Dean sneezes and peers up at him mistrustfully, then turns his attention back to the water. Deftly, he dips in just one paw and manages to collect some bubbles while he's at it. Hunter watches as Dean lifts his paw back up, sniffing at the bubbles before tentatively licking them. The reaction is immediate; Dean hisses and makes spitting noises, trying to shake the bubbles off of his paws because he's just discovered they're the root of all evil. Hunter has to stop himself from laughing this time because he doesn't want the lunatic assassin to attack him anymore.

"Look, it's not that bad. Come here." Hunter picks him up easily and lowers him into the water, refusing to let go of him even when Dean panics and starts clawing at his hand.

But he's not stupid. As soon as he realizes Hunter isn't going to let him go, he relaxes and starts pawing at the water in earnest, mewling softly. Hunter feels eyes on him and realizes Roman is watching him with an approving smile on his face. Then Seth paddles over and meows loudly before nuzzling his nose against Dean's in what Hunter assumes is a kitten form of affection or something. Dean splashes Seth in the face with water and this time Hunter _has_ to laugh.

"Dean, it's not okay to pick on Seth," Roman says sternly, picking Seth up and petting him while Seth huffs and sneezes water out of his nose, hissing down at Dean.

Hunter just grins and lifts Dean back onto his shoulder, letting him resume his curled-up position against Hunter's neck. This time, Dean claws his hair over to use as a blanket, purring softly as he noses Hunter's ear in thanks. "You're my favorite," Hunter whispers to him, keeping his voice lower than Roman's gentle crooning to Seth. "But don't tell Seth that I said that."

Dean mewls and licks his neck before settling back down; Hunter can tell the exact moment when he falls asleep and just lets him, not in the mood to pick and prod at him when he clearly just wants a nap. Once Seth has successfully spit up and sneezed out all the water Dean splashed on him, he curls up on Roman's chest and dozes off as well, his little blond ear twitching in his sleep. It's stupidly adorable and Hunter just wishes he had a camera right now to take pictures.

Scratch that. Roman has already taken a million pictures of Hunter and the cats in adorable poses by this point, and the last thing Hunter needs is more of those photos. Besides, between sleeping kittens and Roman's bare chest, a certain selection of female fans might just die from the shock and the last thing he needs is another lawsuit to have to consider dealing with.

"Our boys have tired themselves out already," Roman muses, smoothing the pad of his finger over Seth's nose in a feather light touch that makes Seth's nose twitch slightly.

"You realize we can't go anywhere while they're sleeping, don't you?" Hunter asks, sighing when Roman nods and smiles back at him. "Well. At least _now_ we're getting some time together. Alone. Sort of. They're asleep so I guess it technically counts."

They lounge in the water for a bit longer, just enjoying the warmth and even if this night didn't go perfectly, Hunter can honestly say he's enjoying himself. Dean's soft purrs in his ear aren't detracting from things like he thought they would; the sound just brings a smile to his face. He might not have been fond of the little fur ball when he moved in with them, but things change.

"The water's cold. Time to get out," Roman announces, sitting up slightly, and Hunter grins at the sound of an annoyed squeak that he knows belongs to Seth. "You hush. I'm cold."

"Come on, tiger. Time to wake up," Hunter says, poking to Dean, who grumbles and swats him.

Roman sets Seth on the bathmat on the floor, then tugs Dean out of Hunter's hair and deposits him there as well. "Keep each other warm while we shower off all the wet fur."

Neither cat seems willing to brave the shower, and Hunter gets that moment alone with Roman, enjoying every second of his hands on Roman's soapy bronze skin. Then, of course, they have to get out and dry off. Seth and Dean are sitting on top of the laundry together, still soaked, and Hunter eyes the hairdryer on the counter before picking it up and turning it on low.

"Hunter, you're going to scare them," Roman says, toweling his long black curls dry.

"They're brave. They'll be okay." Hunter picks Dean up first and sets him on the sink, rolling his eyes at the belligerent yowl he gets in response. He aims the hairdryer at Dean, and the kitten quiets and approaches it, sniffing it curiously before flopping down. "See? Dean likes it."

Roman just shakes his head and starts petting Dean, helping to dry out his fur. "Now let's see you work the same magic with Seth. Money says you can't because he won't let you."

"Bullshit. Seth is the one who doesn't cause trouble." Once he finishes with Dean, Hunter picks Seth up and tries to dry him off as well. The operative word is _tries._ Seth yowls and bolts.

"Come here, baby." Roman picks Seth up and Hunter realizes the kitten is shaking and crying. "See? You scared him. Seth doesn't like loud noises, Hunter, and that damned thing is loud."

Hunter just sighs and towels the cat dry, the best he can do under the circumstances. Roman nods in approval and they head into the bedroom to get dressed, Seth still curled against Roman's chest while Dean has assumed his position on Hunter's shoulder. It's not like he _asked_ the damn cats to join them in the tub in the first place. But oh well. What's done is done. And it was cute.

* * *

_**A/N: I fucking love kittens, okay? Just they're cute and fluffy and have little dagger claws. And I just love how Dean is taking a shine to Hunter while Seth is basically Roman's sweet lil' baby. Aww.**_


	5. Hide And Seek

_**Hide And Seek**_

"Roman is going to kill you," Randy says simply, wedged halfway under the bed while Hunter frantically checks the closet. "And I don't mean in a playful way or an annoyed way or a sexy way. He's just going to rip you to pieces so fast you're not even going to know you're dead until you're dead. And then you'll just stand over your dismembered corpse, stare down at it, and say to yourself, _Self, I shouldn't have lost Roman's fucking cat._"

Hunter scoffs and starts shifting boxes around, hoping like hell he isn't maybe hitting Dean in the process. If Dean is even on the top shelf. "You know what? Shut the fuck up or I will fire your ass so fast, Orton. I am your boss. So shut up and find the cat before Roman gets home."

"What did you even do to the cat? I thought you were starting to get along with Dean." Randy grunts and Hunter turns, mildly amused amidst the panic to watch a six-foot-five man wriggle out from beneath a bed. But then the panic is back full force and he wants to scream.

"I didn't do anything to Dean," he protests. "He was being cranky so I just let him sit alone."

Randy actually looks up at him in shock. "You hurt his feelings. Oh my God, Hunter, really?"

"Hunter? Dean wasn't in the attic." Dave's voice comes from the doorway and Hunter spins around, stopping when he realizes that Dave is not the only one in the doorway.

Seth has taken up residence on the taller man's head and is perched their, licking his blond paw and using it to wash his face. Remarkably, Dave seems very relaxed about the fact there's a small, furry animal sitting on his head when it's taken very little in the past to set the guy off. Hunter sighs and goes to retrieve Seth, intending to put him, well, somewhere until he can find Dean and pretend Dean was never not found in the first place. But Seth just whines at him and swats at his hand, his little ears turning back a bit. Dean's ears turn back when he's angry but Seth's only do when he's pouting, so Hunter leaves it alone and decides that Dave needs to do just a little bit more to earn his paycheck considering how little he's wrestling these days.

A familiar Southern twang calls out from behind Dave, who is just big enough to really block the doorway but Hunter recognizes Shawn's voice just the same. "Dean's not in the garage, either. I'm about ninety percent sure he's found a way to get outside by this point. Which means you might not see him again. Which also means Roman is going to castrate you."

Hunter groans and throws himself against the wall, scrubbing over his face with both of his hands as the reality begins to rear its ugly head. He let Dean sit by himself because the kitten was legitimately grouchy as fuck this morning. He'd nearly knocked Seth out of the food bowl, growled every time Hunter so much as came near him, and bristled when Seth tried to paw at him to play. So when Seth came to Hunter, pathetically padding into his lap with his ears turned back, Hunter let the little asshole sit by himself while he tried to calm Seth down. The poor little high-flying kitten needed a little extra love and affection, and Dean never seemed to need it period. Unless it was from Roman. But now Dean is gone and Hunter is panicking.

Roe loves these cats. He loves them so very much and he's bonded with them so much since they've adopted them. They go to the shows with them and there's now something like a million Instagram photos of them online. The fans even know their names and ask about them at signings. And sometimes they've come to signings because they have no boundaries.

Dave moves out of the doorway, Seth staying perched on his head the whole time, and then Steve is standing there, looking mildly annoyed. "He ain't in the kitchen. I checked it all."

"Or in the living room." Dwayne squeezes into the doorway next to Steve. "I think it's time to admit you lost the cat. And if my cousin wants to send you to the deepest pit in hell for losing him, then I'm going to stand by and watch him do it. How did you lose a _cat?_"

"He was mean to him and hurt his feelings. Didn't he, Seth?" Randy asks, and at the sound of his name, Seth perks up and jumps down onto Dave's shoulder, leaping onto the dresser, then down to the floor to pad up to Randy, stretching up on his back legs and mewling at him.

Shawn makes a disbelieving noise. "How the hell did you hurt a cat's feelings, Hunter? I mean, I've seen you do some low things before but it's a cat. It's an animal and you have to show it affection and love so it knows you want it around. Or it's just going to walk away. Like Dean."

"Animal cruelty is not a laughing matter," Dave says, and he says it in such a deadpan voice that Hunter seriously just wants to punch him right in the face and walk away from this forever.

"Can we just agree I'm a terrible person and keep looking for Dean?" Hunter asks tiredly.

Steven cocks an eyebrow, looks at the others. "Can we agree that Hunter is a terrible person?"

The resounding _yes_ does nothing to brighten his mood and seriously, he should fire some people.

They split up again and Hunter goes back to the closet, intent on searching out every nook and cranny until he has found the little furry fucker and scolded him properly. How in the hell is Dean going to just disappear, and what gave him the right in the first place? _He_ was the one being mean to everyone—but to Roman because who even knows?—so this is _his_ fault.

He glances up when he sees Randy sitting on the floor, playing with Seth, who mewls excitedly and paws at Randy's hand, playfully growling up at him from time to time. "Having fun, Orton?"

"Lots of fun. He's an energetic little guy. Makes me think about getting a cat myself. Maybe I'll do that… Or just buy a cat and watch it torment Cena." Randy's eyes shine with a familiar maniacal gleam and Hunter is honestly sorry for ever backing that storyline when the two of them first pitched it. He's half-convinced Randy is just waiting for the chance to kill Cena.

"Hunter?" The familiar deep voice startles him out of his thoughts and Hunter jumps, knocking about six boxes on the shelf over and onto the floor. Roman stands in the doorway, and, oddly enough, Dean is curled in the crook of his arm. "What exactly are you doing?"

"He's looking for the cat he thought he lost," Randy pipes up, smirking in Hunter's direction and if the Viper thinks he's going to win any of his next two hundred matches, he's in for a very, _very_ nasty surprise as soon as Hunter hits the office. "But it looks like you found him, so I guess we can all stop looking for him now. Where was he, exactly?"

Roman's eyes narrow in Hunter's direction. "He wasn't anywhere. He came up to me as soon as I walked in the door. Hunter, did you almost lose my kitten?"

"I did not almost lose him," Hunter says, fumbling for the exact way to phrase what he wants to say. "He might have gotten angry with me and hidden for a little while, but I did not—"

"He hurt Dean's feelings and that's why Dean was hiding. Then he got scared and called all of us over to help him look," Randy interrupts again, and Hunter glares. _No more belts for you. Ever._

Roman looks less than amused as he smoothes a hand down Dean's back, earning a happy squeak and a purr. And now Hunter has to face the reality that he might not be the only Cerebral Assassin in the house. He glares at the little ball of fur and seriously considers suggesting they just adopt a new one. Or seven new ones. As long as they can get rid of _this_ one.

Dean almost seems to be smirking up at him as he rolls over onto his back, pawing at the long curls hanging within his reach. Sighing, Hunter braces himself against the wall and prepares for either the lecture of the yelling, quickly reminding himself that the next time he watches the kittens alone—if there is a next time because he's pretty sure Roman will kill him before that happens—then he needs to show Dean all the love and affection in the world if only to keep him from hiding out in the house and scaring the living fuck out of Hunter in the process.

_That cat has no fucking business being that smart._

* * *

**_A/N: Did I tell you guys there's a third kitten? You guys, there's a third kitten. Why don't you try to guess who he or she is while I work on the next couple of chapters for this?_**


	6. Rainy Skies

_**Rainy Skies**_

Hunter likes the rain well enough. On rainy days like this, he's perfectly content to sit at the dining room table with a few reports spread out in front of him, marking them up for Creative with a mug of hot chocolate beside him and Seth taking up half the fucking table by stretching out as far as he can—which is surprisingly far for a kitten who can fit in his shirt pocket.

Ever since the incident where Dean proved he is truly an evil genius, Hunter has been on his beset behavior around the little lunatic assassin. He doesn't need to get on Dean's bad side again, not when the kitten can somehow play him against Roman—animals are _not_ supposed to be that smart. So he is nice to Dean and pets him when need be, or when he feeds him, or just when Dean is a nosy little shit who wants attention, but he still quietly prefers Seth to him.

Seth yawns from his position on the table and rolls over onto his stomach, tail swishing lazily throw the air as he peers up at Hunter with rather sleepy eyes. Even if he still climbs far too high and jumps distances that scare the living fuck out of Hunter, he's a sweet kitten naturally and he's very cuddly. Hunter chuckles when Seth mewls at him and runs a hand down their little highflier's back, feeling his little body vibrate when the purrs start up. Yeah, this is the kind of cat he can easily get along with. Not the kind of evil demon monster who tortures him.

When Seth gets to his feet and pads closer, Hunter gives up the ghost and picks him up, leaning back in his seat and cradling Seth against his chest. He keeps telling himself these are Roman's cats every time he starts to feel warm and fuzzy around them, but Seth has won him over in more ways than one and he might as well just admit he quietly admires Dean's cleverness and overall, he loves both of these kittens and he's never going to let anything bad happen to them.

Still, he just likes Seth more now. He was really warming up to Dean at first to the point where the little brown hairball was his favorite, but now he doesn't trust the kitten not to use his affection against him. How the fuck did Dean even hide from him and his buddies when they were trying to hunt his little kitten ass down? There's no way he just kept randomly changing hiding places, always staying near enough to the front door to make sure he could get to Mommy before anyone noticed him. Except that he's very smart and that has to be exactly what he did do. While Seth kept Randy and Hunter amused—or more likely just sat and watched them look around the room when he probably knew Dean wasn't in there, but still. Seth isn't the evil one.

That's when Roman's worried voice snags his attention as the big man wanders into the dining room, looking oddly upset. "Have you seen Dean? He wandered off and I can't find him."

"Gee, I wonder what it's like for him to do that," Hunter says in a near-perfect deadpan.

"This is _not_ a time to be sarcastic! He could be hurt." Roman walks over to the table and no doubt sensing his "mother" is upset, Seth trots over and lets Roman pet him. "What if he got outside? What if he's out in the rain? Hunter, he could get sick or get hurt. He's so little."

Hunter huffs a sigh up at him. "Dean attacks things two hundred times his size, thank you."

"But he's just a baby. He's just a kitten. You have to go out and look for him." Roman picks Seth up and cuddles him against his cheek, and it's not really fair how Roman can do puppy dog eyes while Seth mewls and nuzzles his cheek. The two of them together are enough to melt even the iciest of hearts, he _swears_. "Just go check. Just in case. Because he might not like you, but he always come when I call him and he's not coming. He has to be outside somewhere."

He doesn't want to look for the fucking cat, but because it's Roman, he stands and wanders to the front door, grabbing his coat on the way just in case. As soon as he opens the front door, though, his heart sinks and he knows Dean has to be outside. Not that he ever really put it past a kitten like Dean, but the sight of the hole at the bottom of the screen door—one Dean probably clawed loose with his little claws and baby teeth—is just big enough for a kitten to fit through. And once the rain started, he probably got scared and hid instead of coming back inside.

Roman grabs him by the shoulder. "I _told_ you he was outside. Oh, God, Hunter, you have to go out and find him before he gets hurt or sick or something k-kills…" Roman breaks off and sobs.

_Fucking crazy ass cat._ Hunter takes a moment to pull Roman into his arms, hugging him and assuring him that of course he's going to find Dean, before he heads outside. It's still pouring and he really hates this cat for doing this to him. Why he has to be against beating animals, he has no idea, but Dean definitely needs someone to get him in line for this kind of behavior.

Logic dictates he check the bushes against the house since the dense, thick growth should provide excellent cover from the rain, but he doesn't find Dean hidden in the bushes and just gets scratched in the process. A glance up at the tree, blinking rain out of his eyes, also reveals no little brown fur ball and he has no intention of actually climbing up there to find out for himself. Unless Roman actually asks him to because then he'd have no choice, but he doesn't see Dean anyway so… And surely Dean would come out and mewl for help if he heard Hunter looking for him. Shit, what if he just can't hear the damned hair ball over the rain? _Damned cat._

He checks back around the shed and inside of it but also finds nothing more than tools. Ditto the deck; Dean isn't huddled up beneath it. Irritated, he rounds back to the front of the house and his eyes land on the car. If Dean is under the car, good for him and Hunter can snag him and actually carry him back inside where he'll be safe and warm once again. Unless Dean has decided to make this difficult and climb up into the car, in which case Hunter might not be able to get him out and they could have a serious problem on their hands. Why does life have to be so hard?

But Roman is watching from the doorway, so he tries to appear unruffled as he kneels down on the asphalt, wincing as it bites into his knees through his sweatpants, then leans down to peer into the shadowed space. He sees nothing at first and figures Dean must not be here, either, until a quiet cry reaches his ears. Shocked, he tilts his head slightly and realizes Dean is pressed against the tire he's nearest to, curled up into a little ball of fear and looking absolutely scared to death. And cold. He's shaking so hard Hunter can see the tips of his ears quivering and he's never curled into himself quite so tightly before. Well, at least Hunter managed to find him.

"Hey, little guy. What are you doing out here all alone?" Hunter reaches for him and slowly strokes one of Dean's quivering ears, his heart almost wrenching when Dean mewls up at him pathetically. God, he's going to have to fix that screen door. "Come on. Let's get you inside."

Dean mewls again and shrinks away when Hunter reaches for him.

"No, don't do that. Just come here." He doesn't have time for this, so he snatches Dean up and tries to ignore the way the kitten's claws sink into his hand; he's used to it at this point.

Besides, if he leaves the cat out here any longer, there's a damned good chance he'll get sick.

Roman opens the door for him, his eyes locked on where Dean's tiny, soaked frame is nestled into the bend of Hunter's elbow. The poor thing is still shaking and sure enough, Roman's eyes mist over with tears before he presses a hand to his mouth to muffle a sob.

Shaking his head, Hunter shrugs out of his jacket, keeping a hold on Dean. "He's fine, Roman."

"What if he's sick? What if something tried to attack him? You weren't out there. You don't know." Roman smoothes a hand down Dean's back and Dean meows up at him plaintively, and Hunter half-wonders if the kitten is just milking this or not. Sometimes, it's hard to tell. "We need to warm him up. You hold him while I use the hair dryer on him."

Hair dryer. Right. Hunter follows Roman along to the bathroom, sitting down on the toilet lid while Roman digs out the hair dryer and plugs it into the wall. Seth perches on the sink counter to watch, curling his little tail around his feet, and Hunter gives him a reassuring pet so he knows his partner-in-crime is okay. After all, what is Seth going to do if something happens to Dean?

The moment Roman aims the hair dryer at Dean, the kitten yowls and tries to escape, but Hunter is not having any of it. Not after his little stunt. Instead, he catches Dean by the scruff of the neck and makes him sit still while Roman sifts his fingers through Dean's damp fur, trying to dry it out to help him feel less cold. Not that Dean seems to appreciate it. He just cries and tries to escape from the evil electrical thing that very well might keep him from freezing to death.

And Hunter just sighs and shakes his head while Roman strokes Dean's back and tries to calm him down. Crisis averted thanks to the Cerebral Assassin, but… _Wait for it, wait for it, just wait for it…_

"Goddamn it, Hunter," Roman finally snaps. "You better fix that motherfucking door or so help me God."

Well, at least the peaceful moment was nice.

* * *

**_A/N: What can I say? More kitten fluff. But guess what? Get hyped. Because in the next chapter, we finally meet the third kitten. And so far, a total of zero people have guessed who it is. You have until the next chapter to get your guess in, so good luck._**


End file.
